Penn Commit Watson Nguyen’s 1:02.73 100 Breast Among Highlights of LAC Season Opener

LAC Season Opener

• April 21-23, 2023
• Northwest ISD/Aquatic Center
  • Justin, TX
• LCM (50 meters)
• Results on MeetMobile: “LAC Season Opener”

It’s rare for Junior National Team members Maximus Williamson or Cooper Lucas to not steal the headlines at a local meet, but that’s how impressive Watson Nguyen’s victory in the 100-meter breaststroke was at last week’s Lakeside Aquatic Club (LAC) Season Opener.

Nguyen, a 17-year-old Metroplex Aquatics club swimmer who’s committed to Penn for 2024, kicked off his long course season with a 1:02.73 in the 100 breast, winning by more than three seconds and blazing a time that would have nearly made the B-final at the Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont earlier this month.

Nguyen was just off his personal-best 1:02.30 from last April’s International Team Trials, which the then-16-year-old swam to win the C-final. He was also faster than his time from Junior Pan Pacs last August, when he posted a 1:02.91 on his way to fifth place. Nguyen’s best 100-yard breaststroke time would have barely missed the B-final at the Ivy League Championships this past season.

Behind Nguyen, 41-year-old James Fike placed second with a 1:05.80, with LAC 15-year-old Adam Huynh dropping three seconds (1:08.56) to hold off Lucas (1:08.88) for third place. Lucas added three runner-up finishes in the 200 free (1:54.21), 200 IM (2:07.29), and 100 fly (56.46), the latter of which came behind TCU senior Piotr Sadlowski (55.16).

Williamson, 16, took home three victories in the 100 free (51.23), 200 free (1:53.80), and 200 IM (2:06.21) while adding a runner-up finish in the 100 back (57.55) behind 21-year-old TCU junior Elliott Jones. He was well off his lifetime bests in the 200 back and 200 IM, but less than two seconds off his personal best in the 100 back (55.83 from last August) and only about a second shy of his personal best in the 100 free (50.14 from last July).

Katie Walker and Gracie Walker, 18-year-old Texas A&M commits who swim for Mansfield Aquatics, combined for five wins on the women’s side. Katie triumphed in the 100 free (1:00.15), 100 fly (1:04.23), and 200 free (2:11.34) while Gracie added wins in the 200 IM (2:26.14) and 100 back (1:08.61).

LAC 16-year-old Avery Collins finished just four-tenths behind Gracie Walker in the 200 IM (2:26.54), but she topped the podium in the 100 breast with a 1:15.04. Collins also notched a new lifetime best in the 200 free with a 2:13.37, shaving half a second off her previous best from April of 2021.